Teenage birthrate in Mass. hit record low

Share via e-mail

Fewer Massachusetts teenagers are having babies, pushing the state’s teen birth rate to its lowest level in the 25 years that health ­officials have been reporting on birth rates, the state announced Monday.

Teenagers are typically not as likely as older women to get adequate prenatal care, jeopardizing their babies’ health.

The Department of Public Health report — which covers 2010, the latest data available — also shows the lowest rate of smoking among pregnant women on record. The percentage of mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy declined to 6.3 percent; back in 1990, it was roughly 19 percent. White women were more likely to report smoking during pregnancy than black, Hispanic, or Asian women.

Disparities persisted in infant mortality, with the rate for black infants at 8.2 per 1,000 births: more than twice the rate for white infants. The Hispanic rate was 6.1, while Asian infant mortality was 4.3.

BostonGlobe.com complimentary digital access has been provided to you, without a subscription, for free starting today and ending in 14 days. After the free trial period, your free BostonGlobe.com digital access will stop immediately unless you sign up for BostonGlobe.com digital subscription. Current print and digital subscribers are not eligible for the free trial.

Thanks & Welcome to Globe.com

You now have unlimited access for the next two weeks.

BostonGlobe.com complimentary digital access has been provided to you, without a subscription, for free starting today and ending in 14 days. After the free trial period, your free BostonGlobe.com digital access will stop immediately unless you sign up for BostonGlobe.com digital subscription. Current print and digital subscribers are not eligible for the free trial.